Portfolio - Defining Moments

Defining Moments: Stitched Perspectives on Becoming a Woman, a mixed media fiber project by 2018 NEA Heritage Award winner Marion Coleman and Carol Larson, explores personal, social, historical and political events that start in the 1940s and continue to 2017 when they both have reached seventy years of age. They address their life journeys including Carol's childhood innocence, naivete about civil rights, marriage, motherhood and the persistent impact adolescent elective surgery has had on her physical and emotional health.

Marion, an African American, documents the influences of those early years, affirmative action, civil rights, single parent adoption and interracial marriage. Carol and Marion have been friends for over a decade and share a passion for art, social justice, feminism and human rights. Each one challenges societal perceptions of what is normal or beautiful, womanhood, racial differences and similarities and aging. The project has 38 pieces. The work shown here is Carol's work in the series.